Ottawa used the platform of a G7 ministers meeting today to announce it will gradually eliminate plastic waste from government operations, as business leaders spoke of how they'll start turning waste into profits.

Environment Minister Catherine McKenna said at the Halifax gathering that the federal government will eliminate "unnecessary, single use plastics" throughout government operations, including plastic straws, cutlery, packaging and bottles.

She said Ottawa aims to collect, reuse or recycle at least 75 per cent of its plastic waste by 2030.

Meanwhile, the CEOs of a group of large companies said they'll sign the ocean plastics charter that Canada has been promoting, and announced a coalition dedicated to finding ways to reuse plastic rather than throwing it away.

Unilever Canada, Ikea Canada, Loblaw, and Volvo were among the firms joining with non-governmental groups to support the Circular Economy Leadership Coalition.

The Canadian-led plastic charter's provisions call for national governments to set standards for increasing the reuse and recycling of plastics rather than trashing them.

It also calls for businesses to take responsibility for production methods that eliminate waste — an approach referred to as "extended producer responsibility."